In just a few days, I will be doing something I thought I would never do: I’m getting a Blackberry.

I’ve resisted the pressure to get one for a long time now. My husband has one for work, and while it certainly came in handy two years ago when we were overseas and my father fell seriously ill, I had always vowed that I never wanted to possess a device that made me quite that accessible.

As it is, I hardly ever use my cell phone. After years of car rides set to a Barney soundtrack or the tinny strains of Laurie Berkner singing about bumblebees, I relish the opportunity to have complete silence when I’m in the car. If my phone rings while I’m driving, I ignore it unless it’s the school nurse calling about one of my kids. Anyone else can wait until I get to my destination for me to call them back. And yes, I do have bluetooth capability, but I don’t care–I don’t want to have a conversation while I’m negotiating the roads of NJ–driving is dangerous enough here without unnecessary distractions.

So, why the Blackberry now? Because work has gotten busy to the point where it never fails: the minute I step away from my desk, something urgent needs my immediate attention. I used to think the Blackberry would hinder my freedom, but in reality, it will allow me to unchain myself from my desk and respond to emails regardless of where I am. So, I can run out to the grocery store, and not worry about what crisis may be waiting for me back home.

And did I mention….I’m getting a pink one!